Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1887-07-14
PRAISE.

Il becomes US to render to God. Pray
er is something we are impelled to by
the very unbearableness OF our circum-
stances at times, and always by our
felt wants. Non.praying men calculate
a prayer often in their extremity 1t is
rare, however, to hear them say,
"Thank God" How surprised as we'll
as grieved we should be, II we could
for little while, from heavenly
standpoint observe the stream OF
thought and word that constantly flows
from earth to heaven. Would 1t not
be a decidedly muddy stream, tcolored,
as it would be, by the murmurings, the
cursings, the lusts that lll so large a
place in earth's daily life ? How small
would be the proportion Of that stream
which consisted of the puro waters OF
love, thankfulness and praise. Yet
who does not perceive, that in greater
volume, a hundred fold. than thesmoke
that rises from the multiplied 1res of
busy earth. should be the blessed cloud
of incense from praising hearts 7
We do not esteem that friend very
highly who brings us nothing but a
constant succession of complaints, who
never comes to say, (" l enjoyed your
last kind visit" Thank you for
your gift, it helped me so much" but
repeats the story.of old woes, or dis
courses on some new, real or fancied,
sorrow that has come into his life. IL
seems right and fltting to us that nc
know ledgment should be made of bless.
ings we have bestowed, and we place
that nature low down in our estlma-
tion which can not perceive the obliga.
tion. There are such men with whom
the law of life is, Take all, give back
little or nothing" And sad to say,
the Chief Giyer of the universe expe-
riences just this treatment at the
hands of very many men and women.
We are not deficient in prayer, after
a certain fashion, but we are woefully
deficient in thegrace of praise. 1t was
prominent characteristic of the early
Christians that they "ate their food
with gladness and Singleness of heart,
praising God" 1t would be blessing
of the first magnitude IL this same
spirit was present in every modern
Christian breast. When shall we ar
rive at that point, in a Cody life, that
the most common thought Of the heart
shall be, not, at IS too bad" or ut
is great pity" but "Praise God"
That is what the heavenly mind will
produce, that is what you ought to aim
at.
But, some say. In order to praise we
must haye something to praise for, and
how can heart that ia burdeped fail
to utter a groan, rather than a word
that implies pleasure ? Notice that in
their mental exercises men often act
as If they had two eyes with seperate
and distinct functions, the one capable
of seeing only that which is pleasant,
the other adapted to seeing only the
disagreeable. Now in exercising this
power, we are accustomed TO close one
eye whenever we use the other, so that
unmingled sadness or unmingled joy Is
the felt emotion filing the soul. This
is the secret of your being unable TO
praise God heartily in the worst day
your life has ever brought you. 1t is
not that you have nothing top.aise for,
but your door Of happiness you
have closed, while you have opened
wide the opposite door. Have you
never felt rebuked when you have gone
10 the bedside of pain and have been
greeted with a smile Perhaps that
very morning the temporary disap-
pointment of sho wer had driven from
your face lis smiles, and from your
heart the thought Of praise.
Can the poor rheumatic sing,
"PTaise God from whom all blessings fiow,"
while you can walk, and run, and even
dance, think you are too much afflicted
to sing any song of JOY ? Thus do 9TH
er peoples sorrows shame US IN our
fancied troubles.
In this department OF the Christian
life, as in all other departments, we
ought to be learners. Learn to praise !!
Why that ought to be spontaneous
and absolutely free-hearted. Yes, 1t
will be when you have planted the
spring of praise deep in your nature
and have learned to keep your hearts
door of blessing always open. Do yoD
teach the voice to sing, and can you
not teach the heart the language Of
praise =? In vain shall we attempt to
please God perfectly while our devo-
tions consist in a constant repetition,
Grant, Lord-Grant, Lord while we
forget to say, Thanks and praise unto
thee for thy many mercies.' The
characteristic of heaven as it is revealed
to us is praise. Let US wake up to the
fact how far we are from heaven, If
this is not the characteristic of our life.
Whittier are you going, brother I If
you are nearing land Of spices, you
should be able to catch some Of It's per-
fume on the breezes that come from its
shores, and should have the heart to
say. How glad l am for this refresh
ment y To sing, Nearer TO Thee Is
one thing, to have the experience is
quite another thing. Warbling is not
always praising. We have many war.